Construction Quality Plan

Bradley University is committed to nurturing the multifaceted development of students to enable them to become leaders, innovators, and productive members of society. Our graduates are prepared for life and professions in a changing world and they are able to cross academic, geographic, and cultural boundaries. A Bradley education is characterized by small classes, active learning, mentoring by highly qualified faculty, challenging academic programs, opportunities for study abroad, and numerous co-curricular activities.

We recruit, develop, and support faculty who are passionate educators and outstanding scholars whose research and creative contributions benefit society. We expect and reward pedagogy and scholarship of exceptional quality and influence.

A distinctive feature of Bradley University is our cohesive sense of community that unites faculty, students, staff, and alumni. Our tradition of collective responsibility is founded on a commitment to the values of academic freedom, civility, diversity, and respect for the individual. Our exemplary system of shared governance both represents and sustains our sense of community and fundamental values.

We promote and facilitate collaboration among all members of the University community. Students learn teamwork and leadership through group projects and collaborate with faculty on research and creative production. Likewise, faculty collaborate with colleagues across departmental, college, and institutional boundaries to elevate the quality and impact of their work. The University's strategic partnerships with business, cultural, and governmental institutions provide benefits to the community and society and create additional learning opportunities for students.

Construction Program Mission

The Construction Program offers an innovative curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science in Construction degree of excellent quality. The mission of the Department as it relates to Construction is: Produce graduates who possess a keen awareness of the national and global dimensions of the construction industry, leadership skills required to serve our society, and the technical knowledge to pursue multiple career paths including advanced degrees.

Construction Program Goals and Objectives

To achieve our mission, our department strives to accomplish the following program educational objectives:

Leadership in ConstructionGraduates understand the need for teamwork, communication skills, integrity, good citizenship, and service. They have the needed knowledge to become leaders in the construction industry. Some of the tools used to achieve objective:

The Leadership Scholarship

Undergraduate Research Scholarships (eg. IAPA)

Student Organizations

Public outreach including Bridge-Pal, building playgrounds, pocket parks, homes for the needy...

Professional AchievementGraduates have the needed understanding of ethical responsibilities, certification, the necessity for continuing education, and contemporary issues required for placement and career advancement. Some of the tools used to achieve objective:

Quality Senior Project experience

Program areas of emphasis in sustainability or infrastructure

OSHA Certification

Sustainablity Commission

GlobalizationOffer programs to ensure that graduates have the needed awareness of global construction issues and cultures to help them thrive in an emerging world market. Some of the tools used to achieve objective:

CEC lends the university in the number of students participating

Internationalization is a program area of emphasis

Availability of Financial Aid

Visiting exchange professor

Industry PartnershipsPartner with the construction profession to offer an innovative program that promotes cultural diversity and responds to the needs of the profession and society in the areas of sustainability, infrastructure, and emerging technology. Some of the tools used to achieve objective:

International Construction Innovations Conference

A first class event based on a unique concept

Innovations Conference on Asphalt and Transportation

Departmental job fair

Excellent quality and involved advisory board

Sustainability Commission

Construction Program Assessment Tools

Evaluation of program objectives is a major responsibility of the faculty in that particular program. The faculty has primary responsibility for such fundamental areas as curriculum, research, and those aspects of student vitality that are related to the educational process. The assessment of program objectives and how these objectives help achieve the program’s mission is accomplished using the following mechanisms:

The Civil Engineering and Construction Executive CouncilThe department has a unique leadership structure in that each faculty is expected to lead. Furthermore, each program offered by our department is assigned a program head that serves on the departmental Executive Council. Currently, the Council is composed of Dr. Robert Fuessle, head of the Civil Engineering program, Dr. Souhail Elhouar, head of the Construction Program, and Dr. Kris Maillacheruvu, head of the CEC Undergraduate Program Management, and Dr. Kerrie Schattler, head of the CEC Graduate Program. The Executive Council serves as the assessment committee in our department and help sets the agenda for future programmatic revisions and new initiatives.

Advisory BoardWe have a large advisory board composed of 38 professionals from across the United States. This board meets annually to make recommendations relative to a variety of issues facing our department including program development and alumni relations. The Board plays a critical role and provides valuable input to ensure continued programmatic improvements. It is composed of a Construction Group and a Civil Engineering Group. Each of these groups meet annually to address issues, challenges, and new initiatives identified by the CEC faculty through the assessment processes.

Alumni and Industry NetworkOur department developed a very significant network with industry and alumni throughout the State of Illinois. Members of the various organizations involved in this network are in constant communication with the department and actively participate in joint functions. The input received from our alumni and industrial partners helps our department with the assessment process and data gathering.

Accrediting AgenciesThe department offers two academic programs at the Undergraduate level. The Civil Engineering program is accredited by the accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Construction program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. Over the years, input received from the visiting teams and through Final Statements helped augment our assessment process and identified weaknesses in our academic programs. The input received provided valuable insights into concerns and helped us address weaknesses.

The CEC RetreatThe officers of the five student organizations in our department are invited to discuss issues and concerns on annual basis. Students are presented with summaries of the assessment forms for continuing students and are asked to respond to the 10 lowest scores given on the evaluations. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn directly from our students the issues and concerns that they face and gives the department the opportunity to fix some problems immediately and address others in a timely manner.

The CEC Exit InterviewThe graduating seniors in our department are invited to discuss issues and concerns on annual basis. Students are presented with summaries of the assessment forms for seniors students and are asked to respond to the 10 lowest scores given on the evaluations. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn directly from our students the issues and concerns that they face and gives the department the opportunity to take corrective actions.

Service and Outreach ProgramsThe department has developed an intense focus on leadership and community service. Students, faculty, alumni and board members work together on a variety of community programs. Such programs provide us with valuable opportunities to interact with employers, alumni and community leaders in order to assess and improve program objectives. For example, the Bridge-Pals program is celebrating its 20th year and involves middle school and high school students being invited annually from within 100 miles radius of Peoria to help them learn more about bridge building.

Construction Program Assessment Results

Objective I - Leadership in ConstructionGraduates understand the need for teamwork, communication skills, integrity, good citizenship, and service. They have the needed knowledge to become leaders in the construction industry.

The construction program’s goal is to achieve a score of 4.25/5.00 for this objective’s evaluation by constituents. The data below indicates the actual scores achieved in the most recent assessment cycle conducted during 2010-2011.

CONSTITUENT

SCORE

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS

FRESHMAN

2.01

5

SENIOR EXIT

3.77

30

FACULTY

4.44

4

STUDENTS

3.67

38

ALUMNI

4.08

115

ADVISORY

4.67

14

EMPLOYER

4.04

33

Weighted Score

3.97

Simple Score

3.81

OBJECTIVE II - Professional AchievementGraduates have the needed understanding of ethical responsibilities, certification, the necessity for continuing education, and contemporary issues required for placement and career advancement.

The construction program’s goal is to achieve a score of 4.00/5.00 for this objective’s evaluation by constituents. The data below indicates the actual scores achieved in the most recent assessment cycle conducted during 2010-2011.

CONSTITUENT

SCORE

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS

FRESHMAN

4.75

5

SENIOR EXIT

3.65

30

FACULTY

4.32

4

STUDENTS

3.71

38

ALUMNI

4.04

115

ADVISORY

4.41

14

EMPLOYER

4.02

33

Weighted Score

3.97

Simple Score

4.13

OBJECTIVE III - GlobalizationOffer programs to ensure that graduates have the needed awareness of global construction issues and cultures to help them thrive in an emerging world market.

The construction program’s goal is to achieve a score of 4.00/5.00 for this objective’s evaluation by constituents. The data below indicates the actual scores achieved in the most recent assessment cycle conducted during 2010-2011.

CONSTITUENT

SCORE

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS

FRESHMAN

2.02

5

SENIOR EXIT

3.71

30

FACULTY

4.33

4

STUDENTS

3.58

38

ALUMNI

3.87

115

ADVISORY

4.79

14

EMPLOYER

4.13

33

Weighted Score

3.86

Simple Score

3.77

OBJECTIVE IV - Industry PartnershipsPartner with the construction profession to offer an innovative program that promotes cultural diversity and responds to the needs of the profession and society in the areas of sustainability, infrastructure, and emerging technology.

The construction program’s goal is to achieve a score of 4.00/5.00 for this objective’s evaluation by constituents. The data below indicates the actual scores achieved in the most recent assessment cycle conducted during 2010-2011

CONSTITUENT

SCORE

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS

FRESHMAN

4.03

5

SENIOR EXIT

3.57

30

FACULTY

4.42

4

STUDENTS

3.64

38

ALUMNI

4.06

115

ADVISORY

4.41

14

EMPLOYER

4.09

33

Weighted Score

3.96

Simple Score

4.03

Overall Score for All Objectives

CONSTITUENT

SCORE

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS

FRESHMAN

3.20

5

SENIOR EXIT

3.68

30

FACULTY

4.38

4

STUDENTS

3.65

38

ALUMNI

4.01

115

ADVISORY

4.57

14

EMPLOYER

4.07

33

Weighted Score

3.94

Simple Score

3.94

*Graduate accepted a job that had a low base salary but included allowances and bonuses that were difficult to quantify. The base salary was used in establishing the salary offer and as a result the Bradley University average is skewed and not truly representative of the average salary.

Construction Students Achievements

Construction Employment

For 11 years straight prior to 2009, CEC achieved 100% placement for its graduates
with most students receiving two job offers or more. For five years and up to
2011, the department held its own job fair to help its students secure part-time
and full-time employments including internships. Since 2012, students have been
relying on placement services offered to them by the university's Smith Career
Center, which organizes job fairs in the fall and the spring semesters and provides
students with support during their job search efforts.

Third Place. Participating Students: Mike Williams, Heather Schlesinger, Tim
Mungovan, Tyler Toubeau, John Adams and Kyle Blais. The Bradley University team
has also placed third in the competition in 2009.

Construction Undergraduate Students Awards

The CEC Undergraduate Student Award is presented to students who provide significant service to the department, demonstrate professional and ethical behavior in all of their activities, and help the department achieve its mission, goals, and objectives. The recipients receive a plaque at the Annual Honors Banquet and a stipend. Construction students who received the award over the last three years are:

2014

Dela Cruz, Ian

Luna, Jacob

2013

Haeseli, Kegan G.

2012

Offerman, Neil C.

Williams, Michael A.

Construction Students Scholarships

Our department possesses several annual and endowed scholarships that are used
to supplement scholarships and financial assistantships provided by Bradley
University. Presently, annual scholarships are awarded to Construction and Civil
Engineering students. In fact, we provide scholarships even for graduate students.
A list of the scholarships and other endowed accounts committed to our department
is given below.

No

Account Name

Total Gifts

thru 4/30/14

Market Value

@ 4/30/14

1

The Beavers Heavy Construction Scholarship

$80,000

$112,602

2

Chicago Outer Belt Contractors Association Endowed Scholarship

$35,000

$83,693

3

The Cullinan Scholarship Fund

$350,050

$503,975

4

Elliot Monter Endowed Fund for Construction

$200,000

$539,243

5

Mid-Illini Mechanical Contractors Association Industry Fund

$15,363

$47,888

6

Doug Pollock Civil Engineering Endowed Scholarship for Graduate

$21,000

$48,070

7

Sikha and Rathi Bhatacharya Endowed Graduate Scholarship

$10,025

$13,716

8

Bradley University Alumni with River City Construction Co Endowed Scholarship

$76,685

$117,539

9

CCIC Industry Scholarship Fund for the Global Explorer Program

$20,000

$21,475

10

Williams Const. Global Explorer Program

$20,000

$21,553

11

John P. Hanley Endowed Scholarship

$10,000

$10,738

12

Philip Z. Horton, Jr. Endowed Scholarship

$47,842

$62,422

13

John W. McNabb Endowed Scholarship

$13,261

$17,319

14

Doug Pollock Civil Engineering Endowed Scholarship

$10,000

$21,835

15

Al-Khafaji Leadership Lecture

$60,650

$85,680

16

Rathi Bhatacharya Memorial Endowed Award

$6,858

$7,732

17

Johnson Memorial Endowment-Department of Construction

$41,113

$82,352

Total

$1,017,247

$1,797,832

Over the last three years, the following scholarships were awarded to students in the construction program:

2013-2014:

No

Award

Amount

1

Adrian Scholarship

$1,550

2

Beavers Scholarship

$5,400

3

Bradley University Alumni with River City Construction

$5,200

4

Everett Buehler

$2,675

5

Mid-Illini Mechanical Contractors Association Industry Fund

$500

6

Elliot Monter Endowed Fund for Construction

$2,500

7

River City

$250

Total:

$ 18,075

2012-2013:

No

Award

Amount

1

Adrian Scholarship

$1,460

2

Beavers Scholarship

$5,000

3

Bradley University Alumni with River City Construction

$5,100

4

Everett Buehler

$2,500

5

IL ROAD

$9,000

6

Mid-Illini Mechanical Contractors Association Industry Fund

$1,000

7

Elliot Monter Endowed Fund for Construction

$2,500

8

River City

$7,000

Total:

$ 33,560

2011-2012:

No

Award

Amount

1

Adrian Scholarship

$1,350

2

Beavers Scholarship

$4,500

3

Bradley University Alumni with River City Construction

$3,400

4

Everett Buehler

$2,200

5

IL ROAD

$3,000

6

Mid-Illini Mechanical Contractors Association Industry Fund

$1,000

7

Philip Swagger

$500

8

River City

$7,000

Total:

$ 22,950

Additional Information

The Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at Bradley University has unique qualities that offers its students ample opportunities for participating in extracurricular activities and being of service to the department, the university, fellow students, and the community at large. Over the last few years, CEC construction students participated in the following activities:

The International Construction Innovation Conference (ICIC)The mission of the International Construction Innovations Conference (ICIC) is to develop a network of business executives, policymakers, and scholars from around the globe. The objective is to promote business alliances and joint ventures, pursue basic and applied research, align and leverage new partnerships, and secure new funding sources. The ICIC provides an island of hope where prominent executives from government, academe, and business can find common ground to solve problems regardless of national origin, political perspective, and religious faith. The network includes an extensive list of high level and influential professionals, academics, business leaders, and political leaders from around the world - a veritable “Who’s Who” in global construction. Network members and others came together in Peoria, Illinois on two occasions (2004 and 2006) so far to share their ideas, successes, and dreams for making the world a better place, one brick, one meter of asphalt and one bridge at a time. The network includes 96 PhDs, 47 CEOs, 98 corporate presidents and vice presidents, and 12 government ministers. The 2006 conference had over 300 attendees with many high caliber influential people including the ICIC network members, representatives from over 31 nations, and an Iraqi delegation that included the Iraqi Ambassador to the US and Iraq’s minister of education and scientific research. The event made such an impact that it was written about in ENR.

The results of ICIC were a success as many companies and universities have benefited and alliances have been built and are growing. Some of the partnerships established are focusing on ongoing work in construction technology innovation, reconstructing Lebanon and Iraq, creating affordable housing in Egypt and Turkey, creating wealth in developing countries and on-line construction management techniques. Those involved in the ICIC initiatives embraced the vision which can be summed up in the Conference’s theme: “partnering to build a better world”.

The Innovations Conference on Asphalt and Transportation (ICAT)CEC has been holding a transportation conference for over twenty years. In its current format, ICAT is an outstanding event that brings academia, industry, and government together to network and address issues relating to traffic and transportation in Illinois and beyond. Over the last two years, a track has been added to the conference to address problems pertaining to snow and ice removal.

The ICAT is held annually through the Center for Emerging Technologies in Infrastructure (CETI), a Center directed by Dr. Amir Al-Khafaji and housed in the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at Bradley University. The ICAT conference provides opportunities for all participants to learn, network, educate and contribute through unmatched networking opportunities, program ingenuity, dynamic speakers and diverse participants. At the ICAT attendees are introduced to influential business executives, decision-makers and scholars with wide-ranging perspectives and expertise. It is in this environment that relationships can grow and nurture in future partnerships. Participants come together not only to educate and learn, but to work together to solve problems involving the world’s largest public works project – the US Interstate and highway infrastructure. Exhibitors are able to showcase and demonstrate state-of-the-art technologies in Asphalt and Transportation. ICAT provides a great opportunity for CEC students and faculty to interact and network with industry and government representatives, and this interaction has created a number of opportunities for our students.

Study AbroadOur Global Explorer Program offers unmatched opportunities for our students and faculty to travel abroad and develop insights into Construction education in other nations. Over the years, our department sent more students overseas than any department on the Bradley University campus. CEC students and faculty have been to Denmark, the United Kingdom, Malta, Egypt, Jordan, and France and new locations are always being considered for future trips The implication is that almost 50% of all graduates from the department have overseas experience. Our faculty and students have interacted with the University of Wolverhampton in England and have established strong ties with university faculty to continue this special relationship. Similar arrangements have been made with the Danish Institute of Technology in Denmark to accommodate our civil engineering majors. In 2003, we developed a new partnership with the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and we have been sending students and faculty there ever since with an addition of a side trip to Jordan since 2009. Our trips are well planned and our students get to experience in less than three weeks of travel what most people cannot experience even in a lifetime.

The CEC Job FairCEC has a deep commitment to maximizing employment opportunities for our graduates. To live up to this commitment, CEC has been holding its own job fair, separately from the one held by the university, since the fall of 2006.What makes CEC unique is the number of unique, innovative, and quality programs that it devises for the benefit of its students. The CEC job fair is a glaring example of this. CEC started organizing its own job fair in 2006 with an initial goal of securing the participation of 50 companies. This goal was exceeded by far the first time the job fair was held and reached 75 companies, the maximum that could be accommodated, the following year. The event, which attracts four of the ten largest construction companies in the world, has become an important component of the job placement effort being undertaken by the department and the university. Employers participate in it to evaluate our students for internship and summer employment positions and our graduates for full time positions.

Leadership and Community InvolvementCEC prides itself in the quality of its service and outreach programs. We train students to be leaders, not just scholars, and this training goes beyond the classroom. We have three student organizations that construction students can be involved with: a student chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), a student chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, Inc. (MCAA), and a student chapter of the construction honor society Sigma Lambda Chi. Other campus wide student organizations are also available and offer a variety of activities for construction students to participate in.

Our students learn the value of good citizenship through their and develop their leadership skills through participation in programs such as Bridge-Pal, Habitat for Humanity, and Rebuilding Together. They helped build playgrounds for area schools and local communities, pocket parks in a disadvantaged area of Peoria, and a school running track and they are always ready to volunteer their time and effort to ensure the success of any department sponsored activity.

Faculty AchievementThe CEC faculty are committed to creating an environment that is conducive to learning and leadership development. The motto of the department is to seek excellence in everything we do, and as a result, CEC faculty have won every possible university award over the years, authored or co-authored more than twenty textbooks that are being used by colleges and universities across the globe, and are continuously involved in pursuing new initiatives in teaching, research, and service. The CEC Chairman, Dr. Amir Al-Khafaji, is the first person on the Bradley campus to earn all four major university awards: the Putnam Award for Teaching Excellence, the Rothberg Award for Professional Excellence and Scholarship, the Frances G. Mergen Award for Public Service, and the Bradley University Parents’ Association Excellence Award. All of these awards were also won by other faculty in the department. Our faculty serve on committees of national distinction and have international exposure and relationships that create unique opportunities for our department and students.

Construction Program Admission Requirements

Bradley University General Admission RequirementsGenerally, minimum curriculum requirements for all entering freshmen are as follows: 4 units (years) of English (1/2 or 1 unit of which may be speech), 3 units of college preparatory mathematics, 2 units of laboratory science, and 2 units of social sciences. See listings below for special requirements within the individual colleges and programs. (Applicants deficient in special admission requirements may be admitted but will be required to take preparatory courses in addition to the program described elsewhere in the catalog.)